By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, DEC. 30, 2013) — Unemployment benefits have been around on the state level for decades. It used to be enough. Under President George W. Bush The Younger, however, the jobless began receiving help from the feds as well. The fed funds were designed as […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, DEC. 27, 2013) — When Mayor Dan Bianchi squeaked out his narrow win over Dan Valenti on Nov. 5 (some 5,000 votes to 72), Valenti took defeat graciously. He did not demand a recount. He told THE PLANET: “One seeks to overturn election […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, CHRISTMAS EVE, DEC. 24, 2013) — THE PLANET extends to all our readers, supporters, and everyone else a Merry Christmas. We thank you for helping to make this a successful year, one that saw continues and continual growth for the site. To you […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, DEC. 23, 2013) — First, happy birthday to one special lady, to whom we sent our love. Second, it’s time to dip into the mail bag with a couple of letters sent to THE PLANET. The first is from outgoing school committee member […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary KEEP READING. THE STORY IS POSTED BELOW THE ADVISORY. (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, DEC. 20, 2013) — Got to keep this quick. THE PLANET even now is at work on a story that will reveal (a) anew (and startling) case of theft inside the most important office […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, DEC. 20, 2013) — Inside jobs — alleged thefts — at city hall and in city departments illustrate the true cost exacted upon taxpayers by the lack of leadership stemming from the corner office. SPEAKING OF THEFT INSIDE CITY HALL … You’ve heard […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, DEC. 19, 2013) — “There’s no leadership. It’s a mess.” That is the assessment of a city employee whose offices reside in city hall. This person occupies a key post that directly affects daily decision made by local government on behalf of citizens. […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 18, 2013) — If you tuned into the last city council meeting of November (11/26), you saw them burn an hour discussing the definition of “immediate.” THE PLANET is a lexicon-ographer in our spare time. One of our exercises involves defining terms […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, DEC. 17, 2013) — Yesterday’s post on Pittsfield city solicitor Kathy Degnan‘s opinion on (Apparently) Ward 3 councilor-elect Nick Caccamo‘s eligibility to serve has generated much discussion. Take it as another example of THE PLANET raising a valid issue that either escaped the […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, DEC. 16, 2013) — We have another legal donnybrook from the Bianchi Administration’s chief arbiter and barristrix of the law, the Hon. Kathleen Degnan, Esq., who has offered a formal opinion on how the newly adopted city charter applies to Ward 3 councilor-elect […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, DEC. 12, 2013) — It’s getting to look a lot like Christmas, and that means lots of organizations asking for your hard-earned money. Sure, you’d like to give to all, but you have bills to pay and miles to go before you stop […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ADD 1 WEDNESDAY, DEC. 11, 2013, 2:20 p.m. Downtown Pittsfield Inc.’s executive director Pam Tobin, the subject of today’s posting below, responded to THE PLANET‘s questions in an e-mail sent at 2:11:31. We present it without comment or annotation: Dan, Thanks for the outreach. The Downtown Pittsfield executive […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ADD 1 TUESDAY, DEC. 10, 2013 In light of the information below, THE PLANET is asking the question: Does Pittsfield have a secret “VIP No-Fee Parking Ticket” list, in which the vehicles of certain of the Chosen Few can park with immunity anywhere they like without having […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, DEC. 6, 2013) — Before we present the finale of our Reuters series on waste, corruption, and fraud in The Pentagon and the Department of Defense, we pay our respects to this exact date, Friday, Dec. 6, 45 years ago. THE PLANET is […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, DEC. 5, 2013) — Before we present Part 2 of Reuters‘ excellent piece of investigative journalism dealing with waste and fraud at the Pentagon authored by Scot Paltrow, THE PLANET injects this local note. Yesterday and so far today, our wires have been […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (First of Three Parts) (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, DATE, 2013) — How much is $1 trillion? One trillion dollars is: — A one followed by 12 zeroes. — One million millions. If the Fed printed million dollar bills, $1 trillion would not fit in a large bathtub. — […]
